1. Transforming our structure–
Lisa Christensen
Director,
Children’s Services

2. This section focuses on some of the national agenda influencing our current planning – a very quick tour

3. Education and Children’s Bill
Schools will have freedom to deliver excellent education in the way they see fit, including iGCSEs
A slimmer curriculum giving more space for teachers to decide how to teach
OFSTED (and other accountability frameworks) will be reformed to ensure headteachers are properly accountable for core educational goals of attainment and closing the gap between rich and poor
Introduce Year 6 reading test to identify problems early and to check learning
Give teachers and headteachers the powers to improve behaviour and tackle bullying

4. Government expects standards to rise
By giving more freedom to headteachers and teachers
Ensuring money follows pupils
Introduce a “pupil premium” so that more money follows the poorest pupils
Through the creation of more academies -
with a weaker school under their wing !

5. OFSTED No OFSTED for outstanding schools
“Danger indicators” and teacher and parental request will trigger inspection
Danger indicators might be achievement, teacher absence and turnover, fixed-term exclusion and truancy
Looking closely at the way CVA is calculated
Fresh commitment to league tables to judge school performance

6. Academies Bill
Allow maintained schools to apply to become academies – secondary, primary and special
Remove the requirements to consult LA, thus simplifying and accelerating the process
Require the consent of any existing (mainly church) foundations
No expansion of selection
Funding agreement to last 7 years

7. Unknowns Building Schools for the Future (BSF)
Impact on our current academy plans
Primary Capital Programme
Ability to re-organise schools
Funding decisions

8. In this section I want to give an overview of where we are with the current reorganisation of the County Council and Children’s Services-

10. Operations and Integrated Services – Lesley Whitney
No longer 5 areas
Operations and Integrated Services – Lesley Whitney
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk/Breckland
North Norfolk/Broadland/Great Yarmouth
Norwich/South Norfolk
Will lead the operational delivery of excellent services to children and young people

11. County-wide strategies for
Strategy and Commissioning Safeguarding and Additional Needs – Tom Savory
County-wide strategies for
Safeguarding
Corporate parenting and additional needs
Leadership and coordination for health and well-being of children and young people

12. In this section I want to focus in on parts of the Universal Services for Early Years, Schools and Colleges especially where we are trying to refocus on services to governance -

13. Governance and Leadership

14. We are developing a new governance focused team -
drawn from across several parts of the previous Children’s
Services.
to focus on supporting Governors in all our schools and colleges
as well as management boards of EY settings so that they can
better fulfil their roles.
Research shows that we need to improve the quality of leadership, engage parents better and provide more effective support for governors who should carry out the front line support and interventions in our schools and settings.

15. The governance team is being developed because -
Our analysis of school improvement has shown that governors have not felt well supported in carrying this out and our services have been too thin. So we need to
provide a much better, integrated approach to improving
governance
create a one-stop shop for governors making sure that all
aspects of the Governors’ Guide to the Law are effectively
covered through high quality advice, training and consultancy
for governors and governing bodies.
establish an interface between governors and the County
Council’s shared services which will provide expert advice and
support in HR, finance, legal, ICT etc.
lead the development of effective governance at institution and
cluster levels

16. The team will also - develop a full leadership programme
for schools and settings
implement the parenting strategy
implement the strategy for extended
services through schools and settings

17. What happens next? Consultation 7 – 25 June 2010 (p5)
Transitional arrangements 28 June – 31 August 2010
Some services will be “lift and shift” – subsequent in-depth review by next April
New structure implemented September 2010

18. In this section I just want us to remember that it is the child that is at the centre of all our thinking and to remind us all that we are committed to a collaborative system of schools not creating competitive autonomous institutions -

20. The golden triangle – getting standards of achievement right – for all
attainment
Schools
becoming
Children’s Services
- extended
schools
Developing
effective clusters
of schools
Including
all
achievement
accountability

21. Finally in this section I want to remind us about the importance of creating effective parent engagement -

22. Engaging Parents in Raising Achievement research (EPRA)
Parental involvement is very important but it is parent engagement that is a powerful lever for raising student achievement in schools. Where parents and teachers work together to improve learning, the gains in achievement are significant

23. EPRA research
Parents have the greatest influence on the achievement of pupils through supporting their learning in the home rather than supporting activities in the school. It is their support of learning within the home environment that makes the maximum difference to achievement